The arrests of the leaders of the Jewish community of Minsk are the result of reports appearing in the Yiddish press abroad saying that Berlin had received numerous letters picturing the Jewish situation in Russia as worse than ever and asking for the organization of a matzoth drive similar to that of last year. The G.P.U. had a clue that these letters were written by the Minsk rabbis.

It is being held inadvisable here to repeat last year’s matzoth drive abroad because it will do more harm than good. The only way of providing relatives in Russia with matzoth is to send individual packages by mail which are, however, taxed by high custom duties.